Too much Algae!!!!

OK, so my tank is roughly 6 months old now and is overrun with algae. I've got red slime, I've got green hair... I had some high nitrates a week or 2 ago but they are down to 15 ppm now. Took a water sample to the LFS and they informed me that my phosphates are high (like .5). Their recommendation was to use a phosphate "sponge" to decrease that, do a water change again (or a couple) to continue to aid in that and lower the nitrates further. Also, suggested that I quite feeding flake food as this just gets caught in the filter and rots, increasing nitrates and phosphates. This all sound on the up and up to you guys, or would you all suggest other action or additional action? Since my tank is not yet a full year (the magical number), wasn't sure if I should just assume this is the "natural" algae progression too. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

my tank is now 4 months old and I had the same problem. I used the a phosphate remover "rowa phos " and added 40 scarlet hermit crabs and 50 cone head snails and did some water changes..In week and half all gone.I have a 300tank so that's why I got so many crabs and snails I wanted them anyways good excuse for the wife..my problem was I had some fish die behind the rocks and I could not get them out. :-[

 

What is your water source, Mr Bond??

The hair algae is the toughest of the algaes to get rid of as most snails and crabs do not eat it. You may have to start pulling it until you can get the phosphates and nitrates down.

The red slime will run its course as long as you stay on top of the filter cleaning and crank up that skimmer!!!

As the algae wars rage on!! [smiley=rifle.gif]

Drew

 

My water source is tap water, but in the 6 months I've had the tank never had such an algae problem and no phosphates at all. Have had a couple bouts with nitrates being too high, but again, the water I add always tests clean. Are there other things in the tap water that can fuel the algae?

 

Tap water...repeat: tap water....

Most Vets say not to give your dog tap water.

Many Many bad things, very bad things, in tap water. Many phosphate...

I have Iodine, phosphate, iron...bah!!!!

I think even the IRS is hiding out in my water!!! Haven't yet found a way to filter them out yet though

Mnay believe only ro/di water is successful....but I'm only quoting, don't shoot the messenger...I've used tap water when I had to, but always had a dirty tank a few days later.....

wish you the best of luck!!

Scoffer

 

I've heard bad things about tap water too - just doesn't totally make sense as I've been using tap water since day 1 and never had bad phosphate levels or the algae problems I have now...

 

better to get a ro/di unit

 

Allaboutfish, I realize the ro/di unit is better, but right now, don't have the money and still doesn't explain why I didn't have these levels and problems until now. I plan on getting the ro/di unit sometime, just not sure when.

 

Odd are you are not reading any Phosphates because the algae is using them all up. Have you ever tested your tap water for total dissolved solids (TDS) or Phosphates prior to adding to your tank? I would defiantly get some sort of filtration system in place Check out this
There are units that aren't very expensive and do a great job
thread
Here is a pic of the unit

J

 

OK, so here's an update: I did a 25% water change, using some ro/di water that I bought. I added the phosphate sponge for 24 hours (said to leave in for a maximum of 48 hours). I cleaned my filters as well. I've had 1 day with no lights, and 1 day with just the blue lights on. Stopped feeding flake food. Feed twice a day, frozen formula 1. Skimmer is running 24x7. The algae looks just as bad, if not worse than it was. I don't have a phosphate test, but when I tested my nitrates they were up to about 40 ppm. Anyone have any ideas of what else this might be going on here? Can't figure out why these levels are going up and why this algae is running so rampant. Any help would be greatly appreciated!